News

In light of the fact that the CarmelFest Parade will feature fifty WWII Veterans in our Grand Marshal unit and include over two-hundred and fifty past, present and newly enlisted military personnel in our Grand Finale, our Parade Directors have been working hard to arrange for a military plane flyover at (or near) the start of the Parade. Due to the diligent efforts of CarmelFest Parade Co-Director Bec Hunter, a military flyover has been officially approved by the National Guard. Two A-10 “Warthog” Planes from the Ft. Wayne Indiana Air National Guard 163rd Blacksnakes Squadron will conduct the flyover during the Centier Bank CarmelFest Parade on Saturday, July 4th between 10:30 a.m. and noon.

The A-10 Thunderbolt II - more commonly known by its nickname "Warthog" - is an American twin-engine, straight wing jet aircraft developed by Fairchild-Republic in the early 1970s. It is the only United States Air Force production aircraft designed solely for close air support, including attacking tanks, armored vehicles, and other ground targets with limited air defenses. The A-10 was designed around the 30 mm GAU-8 Avenger rotary cannon as its primary armament. The A-10'sairframe was designed for durability, with measures such as 1,200 pounds (540 kg) of titanium armor to protect the cockpit and aircraft systems, enabling it to absorb a significant amount of damage and continue flying.CarmelFest Parade Co-Chair, Bec Hunter, added, “The military flyover will be an added honor for all veterans and military personnel. And one more way for us to recognize the commitment they have all made to keep our country free.”For more details on the Centier Bank 4th of July CarmelFest Parade, visit CarmelFest.net. When we receive more specific information on the times for the A-10 Warthog Planes to fly over the parade route, we will post a note on our Facebook page and send out a Tweet from @CarmelFestNews.